Good for your heart.
The more you eat, the more you –
Err . . . enjoy their many health benefits.
Beans are the Humble Superfood
Almost all nutrition experts tell you to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables – at least 9 servings per day, according to the Food and Drug Administration – and you should.
But another plant food often gets overlooked because it’s as plain, dull, and boring as… beans.
Beans, Lentils, Peas, Peanuts, Soybeans and Pulses
They all fall into the legume food group.
Yes, even peanuts. Technically, they’re legumes, not nuts. For practical purposes, however, they’re nuts – and eating them is healthy, except for added oils and salt. That includes peanut butter.
However, the FDA doesn’t make a separate recommendation for legumes. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend eating nine or more servings of fruits and vegetables, including legumes.
However, for optimal health, you want to eat plenty of legumes AND fruits and vegetables. Most of us don’t think of pinto beans together with kale and blueberries, but they’re all great components of a healthy daily diet.
The Hispanic Paradox
As a population group, on the whole Hispanic-Americans display many markers of poor health. That includes both the effects of poor access to healthcare and demographic disadvantages. They have the highest rates of being uninsured, plus the lowest rates of screenings for high cholesterol, high blood pressure and other cardiovascular risk factors. Plus, they engage in lower levels of activity and exercise. They have higher rates of poverty and less education.
By the numbers, Hispanic-Americans should live shorter lives than either white Americans or African-Americans.
But the reality is: despite these disadvantages, on average Hispanic-Americans live LONGER.
Men:
White: 76.4
African-American: 71.6
Hispanic: 78.9
Women:
White: 81.1
African-American: 77.8
Hispanic: 83.7
Hispanics have a 24% lower risk of all-cause mortality. That’s a lower-than-average risk from nine out of the top fifteen causes of death in the United States (including heart disease and cancer).
Hispanics do get cancer, of course, but, compared to non-Hispanic whites, they have higher survival rates for lung, colon, and breast cancers.
These disparities were first noticed back in 1986. Medical science doesn’t agree on the explanation, but their diet must play a role.
Although Hispanic-Americans make up only 11% of the country’s population, they consume 33% of all edible dry beans.
On average, Hispanics eat four to five times as many beans per capita as white Americans.
On the whole, Asian-Americans also have good health – and they tend to eat relatively large amounts of soybeans or foods made from soybeans (another form of legume).
What Do Beans Have That’s So Great?
What don’t they have?
They’re rich in prebiotics. Those are the nutrients in our food we don’t digest, so they feed the trillions of bacteria living in our intestines. That’s the gut microbiome.
Medical science is still just scratching the surface of how important our microbiomes are.
We do know, however, that like all living organisms, they require food.
Beans are perfect because they contain large quantities of fiber and resistant starch.
One cup of legumes contains 12-16 grams of fiber. For most Americans, adding just one cup of beans to their daily diet would double their fiber intake.
Anti-Inflammation
Along with discovering the critical role of our microbiome, we’re still discovering how much chronic inflammation can damage our bodies.
When our gut microbiomes contain a healthy balance of micro-organisms, they release small-chain fatty acids such as butyrate. These are absorbed back into our bodies, reducing systemic inflammation.
Lower systemic inflammation in our bodies helps inhibit lung and other cancers.
Beans Contain Plenty of Protein
Protein is one of the many areas nutritionists argue over. These days, some experts say people over 65 years old need to take in more protein than when they were younger. Others dispute this.
In practice, almost nobody counts grams of protein that closely.
With beans, you don’t have to.
Just fill yourself up with beans, and you’ll have all the protein you need.
Eat More Beans to Lose More Weight
A study published a few years ago examined the health effects of eating legumes by looking at over 15,000 people over a ten-year period.
They found an inverse relationship between eating legumes and weight. That is, the people who eat the most legumes tend to lose weight over time. Those participants who ate the least beans gained weight.
Eating more legumes was also associated with a lower body mass index and abdominal obesity.
What About Lectins?
Lectins are proteins that bind to carbohydrates, and they can cause digestive problems. They’re especially prevalent in legumes and grains. Basically, they’re one way plants protect themselves from being eaten.
Therefore, NEVER eat raw grains or legumes. Cooking grains and legumes neutralizes the lectins. ALWAYS cook them well done.
When you eat foods containing raw lectin, you risk extreme sickness.
Eat More Legumes to Keep on Eating
According to one study, “Legumes are the Most Important Dietary Predictor of Longevity.”
The Food Habits in Later Life Study looked at the role all the food groups played as predictors of mortality for people aged 70 and over. They conducted the study in Japan, Australia, Greece and Sweden.
One result: for every 20 gram increase in the amount of legumes people consumed, they found an 8% lower risk of death.
20 grams is less than one ounce.
About Those Digestive Gases . . .
They’re a sign that the fiber in the beans needs more bacteria to eat it.
In other words, you need to eat more beans to grow more of those bacteria.
If you get gas at first, start out slowly with just a tablespoon or two, then gradually increase the amount you consume – but eat some legumes EVERY DAY.
As your gut microbiome keeps multiplying, your gas will gradually return to normal.
The key: eat beans every day, until you can feed your gut bacteria a full-sized, hearty dinner of beans with no problem.
Eat beans on a regular basis, and beans will keep you regular.
https://www.ag.ndsu.edu/gptpc/food-nutrition/pulse-crops/research/legumes-are-the-most-important-dietary-predictor-of-longevity
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9864712/
https://www.heart.org/en/news/2023/05/11/the-hispanic-paradox-does-a-decades-old-finding-still-hold-up
https://nutritionfacts.org/video/the-hispanic-paradox-why-do-latinos-live-longer/
https://www.glnc.org.au/resource/legumes-recommendations/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6UX-GcOKAJk
https://theplantfedgut.com/book/
https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/best-beans-health-them-delicious-060000508.html
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9370574/
